Aston Villa Has A Big Decision To Make On Marcus Rashford

It was revealing that in Aston Villa’s two biggest games of the season, Marcus Rashford started in attack. This meant Ollie Watkins started on the bench against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals and Manchester City in the Premier League as his on-loan teenage was favoured by Unai Emery.

Watkins has given the start against Newcastle United and offered a reminder of his quality by opening the scoring in a 4-1 win, but the 29-year-old is quite clearly below Rashford in the pecking order at Villa Park right now. Rashford, however, might not be a Villa player beyond the end of the season.

Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United in January as Emery looked to add attacking quality to his squad following the departure of Jhon Duran. Rashford was available and so Villa made its move. Villa reportedly has an option to make Rashford’s transfer a permanent one at the end of the season, but this could cost as much as £45m.

Villa might be wiser to spend that money on another player. While Rashford has contributed since January, he still hasn’t rediscovered his best form. The 29-year-old was exceptional in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG, but was indecisive on the ball in the first leg at the Parc des Princes.

What’s more, Aston Villa could find that the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) limits its transfer market activity, particularly if Emery’s team miss out on a place in the top five and qualification for next season’s Champions League. Villa might not have £45m to spare for Rashford.

Aston Villa has made great strides forward under Emery. The Spaniard pitched up at Villa Park when the club was fighting relegation from the Premier League. Now, Villa is an established member of the English soccer elite and is attempting to make sure it keeps its seat at the Champions League table for next season.

January was a blockbuster transfer window for Aston Villa as it landed Marco Asensio and Rashford. Both players are capable of deciding a match in a single moment, as they have shown over the past three months. However, Villa signed the pair when it still had Champions League soccer. The landscape might be different at the end of the season. Rashford might not fit the picture by then.